Coming across a genuinely new launcher interface and paradigm on Android is rare. Most third-party clients try to emulate the default Android launcher and add some customizations and improvements here and there. Not to undermine the power of something like Nova Launcher, but there's only so many times you can swipe left and right between homescreens or tap to open and close an app drawer before you wonder what that new launcher you installed does differently. If you seek the novelty of a new welcoming interface each time you unlock your phone, choices are somewhat more limited especially if you want a reliable and simple app, not one that has been built for the sake of difference more than usability.

HomeUX walks that thin line with aplomb. It's a bit unique in the way it organizes your homescreen, but it remains simple and usable over the long run. The app has been in development in closed beta for many months and has recently been released to the public as a version 1.0 beta. I've had it installed on my G4 since its earliest days and it has been on and off my default launcher, battling it out with Nova Launcher over homescreen supremacy.

Folders are in, homescreens and app drawers are out

Over the months, HomeUX has matured, moving from a decent concept that covered the basics to a complete offering that feels fresh but without sacrificing features. Icon packs? Widgets? Shortcuts? Grid sizes? Material Design? HomeUX has it all covered. You won't have to sacrifice any of these to use the launcher. What you will have to leave behind however, is your understanding of homescreens and app drawers. HomeUX blends both together, and focuses instead on differentiating between folders.

Your HomeUX screen is divided between two distinct areas: the top is the Action Panel and the bottom is whatever folder you happen to be browsing. Swiping vertically switches folders, which in turn changes the background image and accent color of the Action Panel. By default, you have one folder — All — which hosts all of your apps' icons. Below, you'll see that I've created two other folders — Less Used and Installed — which house their own apps (that I've chosen to remove from All in order not to overcrowd that).

Swiping horizontally can be done on both the top Action Panel and the bottom folder. Let's focus on the latter for now. This gesture allows you to have multiple pages inside the same folder. For example, my Installed folder houses two other screens for a few widgets as seen below. That keeps them accessible, but hides them away from my main layout so they don't ruin whatever simple design I was trying to achieve.

You may have noticed that the Action Panel is somewhat static throughout all of this swiping. Aside from changing backgrounds and colors, it keeps the same clock and date, the same shortcuts to my 5 most-used apps (QuickApps), and the same action button (floating QuickApp). That's because it's meant to be an easy way to reach your frequent apps. Think of it as a dock, except it's placed higher on the screen.

Swiping horizontally on this panel is independent from the folders below it. To the left, you actually reveal your list of folders where you can add new ones and edit those that you've already created. HomeUX focuses on gestures a lot and this is one of the first examples I'll mention. In order to edit a folder, you have to tap and hold it, then drag it to the Edit icon and release. That's what opens the options screen.

There you can add apps to the folder, change its name, icon, background image (which can be set to a photo or a solid color), and accent color (which changes the horizontal separating bar and action button).

Gestures are also part of the way you move and edit apps inside your folders. The same tap and hold on any icon shrinks the grid and reveals options to uninstall the app, view its information in Android's settings, edit it, and add it to another folder. Without letting go, you drag the icon to whatever option you choose and release to activate it.

Plenty of settings

The Action Panel's usability doesn't stop at folders. First, if you lose an app you're looking for, the colored Search floating QuickApp will let you quickly type and find it. But more importantly, you can access all of HomeUX' other settings by swiping right on the panel. That reveals a third screen with options to change the wallpaper, icon pack, and settings.

You'll also be able to change the floating QuickApp's behavior, target app, and icon, the clock's appearance, and the default home folder. HomeUX can also perform backups on your homescreen settings and restore from it, in case you're switching devices, resetting them, or if you just want to have a backup ready in case things go wrong.

Below you'll see some variants of my homescreens with the white app background turned on (left), and with a 50% transparent Action Panel, smaller clock, and bigger app icons (middle and right). Notice how the wallpaper peeks behind each folder's background, creating a nice blending effect.

Joys and frustrations

HomeUX looks fresh and stays that way as long as you use it. It's not a traditional launcher like the hundreds we've seen on Android, but it doesn't deviate too far from them. The unique approach isn't overwhelming and the overall feel remains familiar and easy to adapt to.

Swiping, scrolling, dragging, all of these interactions are combined with beautiful animations that add to the joy of using HomeUX. Both the play on accent colors and the distinction between wallpaper and top background add a touch of novelty each time you switch folders, letting you mix, match, and create unique atmospheres that are just a swipe away.

And despite a layout that seems a bit stiff with the persistent Action Panel and floating QuickApp, there are plenty of customization features. A stroll through the app's Google+ community will show you what other users have done with it, including plenty of unique setups that vary between the simple and the maddeningly complex.

However, HomeUX isn't free of frustrations. Choosing an icon for a folder or a QuickApp is a matter of scrolling through a never-ending list of small black icons, most of which are useless. There isn't even a lower or upper case G for a Google folder. There's no logic and no order to the way the icons are listed, so you'll have to just go through them one by one and hope to find something that fits.

And over the months, bugs have been squashed but others have emerged. Sometimes apps don't disappear from the All folder when they're added to another one, despite choosing that option in the settings. And I get that it's still technically a "beta," but the app force closes at least once a day on my G4 and a lot more often on my Nexus 5X, mostly when trying to reorganize things.

Stability has actually been a bit of a hit-and-miss on the Nexus 5X. When it works, HomeUX is fluid and enjoyable on the phone. But when it doesn't, it's the white-knuckle level of annoying. Tapping and holding on apps and widgets to edit them works one out of three times at best. Moving an app from a folder (that isn't All) to another causes a crash every single time. Folder icon alignment is often wonky if I try adding more than 4 folders. Adding apps to the QuickApps panel required at least two tries for each one, because the icon choosing panel wouldn't open. Those bugs are either non-existent or not as frequent on my G4. I guess either the app isn't yet completely stable on Marshmallow or it isn't playing nice with my Nexus 5X.

But even with these issues, HomeUX is worth trying, if only for its unique approach and design. You might find it has easily dethroned your favorite launcher or you might go back to whatever you were using before. But there's no harm in giving it a chance since it's free for all but a few features. The pro key unlocks notification badges, different transitions, app icon resizing, and clock font customization. Those features are superfluous to me, but I did buy it to support the developer. Original work like this deserves recognition.

Comments

Gonna give this a try! Don't think it'll pull me away from Nova for too long, but I'm up for trying something different for a bit.

Sergei Garcia

This is exactly why I love android. You can make your device feel like an entirely different phone just by switching the launcher.

Also, I have to say that while it sure is buggy and has a long way to go as far as customization goes, HomeUX's Material Design implementation on animations and layout was so good, I actually feel like if android Marshmallow had given the stock launcher a re-design, this is what it should look like.

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pseudo

I enjoy trying new launchers, tried Arrow for a week or so and ended up back with Nova though. Arrow Launcher slowed my phone down and crashed a lot. Nova still can't be beaten.

Xpiatio

NOT going to give this a try. If folders are in and the trend is moving toward applications right on the home screen, I might as well use an iPhone. I want an application drawer. If you have a screen filled with folders and app shortcuts, you have a cluttered phone.

I didn't mention this in the review, but you can have a blank homescreen as a default, there's nothing stopping you from that. Or just a couple of widgets and icons.

The idea of folders is that instead of organizing your apps by homescreen/drawer and having things redundant between both, you can divide them according to function or use, and make bundles (folders) of icons and widgets that fit together. It's different, but it does make sense. Perhaps this clarifies a bit the idea behind folders.

SyCoREAPER

Not following here. This can already be accomplished with conventional launchers. Create folders on the home screen and hide the icon in the drawer.

Yes, you *could* do that with regular launchers, but you have to manually hide each app (here, there's a "just get rid of apps from All folder" option). Also, the point of HomeUX isn't for folders to be lists of icons, but bundles of icons and widgets. That's the difference between it and folders on traditional launchers.

brekfest

I don't get this complaint. While not the launcher for me personally, this seems nothing like iOS. I think the standard Android launcher (including Nova, GNL, etc.) has more in common with the iOS launcher than this.

Stefan Seidel

Been happy with Smart Launcher for a long time now, but I will give this a try...

It's very smooth and stylish, but pretty unusable. There is no any functional at all

Adrb

Even with folders for apps, it is too similar to ios. Also it is almost unusable on first install, it is very difficult to create the special apps shortcuts, there are none on install and there are hundreds of mini icons to choose from.

SyCoREAPER

Neat concept but for me good old Nova is where I will stay until something more intuitive comes along.

Ah yes, this is what is happening with my Nexus 5X 1 out of 2 times. I mentioned this in the bugs at the end. Seems like a Marshmallow bug.
The trick, I learned, is when you tap and hold, quickly move the icon toward the middle of the screen so it stays selected inside the shrunken grid. Then you keep holding and move the icon.

I was going to try this, thanks for the warning. My vodafone smart 4 turbo is still sitting on 4.4.4. :(

jak_341

Tried it. The bugs mentioned are definitely there. Can't live with those bugs.

Uninstalled, but may come back after some bugs are cleaned up.

Marcelove

Apple Music? Nope, nope, nope... People don't realize that using it only devs keep favouring IOS over Android... Besides that, even Apple saying that Android users are low class users, people don't bother... I don't get it...

What about countries where there is literally NO other legal and decent music streaming service? And what about Mac users? There's a world outside of the few countries that Play Music supports and outside of Windows/Chrome on desktops.

jayesh m

Well put. India is one of these countries, with Apple offering the service really cheaply. I own a macbook pro/iPad, but love my android phones. This just allows me to consolidate my streaming service. So far been using apple music and Rdio. Now i can ditch Rdio completely.

Also something hilarious, about apple having a streaming service in India, with preferential pricing and Google not even offering its own service here and with no indicated plans.

pseudo

Is mixradio in india?

gubagub

@khouryrt:disqus Please review! Google got a lot of press with Youtube RED but Apple's move has been barely noticed.

PM's collection is very shallow when you get past the mainstream music labels' US-centric repertoire. Even in the US, if you love music enough to listen to artists from around, you soon run into the problem of the same few songs from X country on a loop. It can't be that obscure if it's featured on NPR!

I'm seriously considering switching to Apple Music. I have never used AM so I want to wait for the reviews before I jump ship. There's no point listening to music missing on PM (using YouTube), now that AM is on Android with their vast worldwide collection.

Roh_Mish

Once you get over your "Google is best"-ism, its actually a nice service. It has a big library and has better radio service. Also unlike Google, it is already available in multiple countries where GPM is not.

Actually, after about 4 months, All Access became smarter than Spotify for me. Apple Music isn't even as smart as spotify. And I can't see picking Apple's half-baked effort over Spotify or the combination of All Access plus YouTube Red. Not unless I had no choice. Google Play All Access + Youtube Red for 10 bucks a month is a complete no-brainer.

AuroraFlux

The reason you don't get it is because you are short-sighted as hell and I suspect you always will be.

drcaveman

The bugs are maddening, definitely going to follow this project even though it's not good for me yet as a daily launcher

HomeUX Community moderator here. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the team. The project has come a long way since it consisted of a clock and some folders. Great seeing HomeUX getting some spotlight.

Lenbok

Gave it a quick try. Dragging to the quick apps bar never worked for me until I realized I was trying to do it slow and careful. You need to start dragging at a precise duration after the initial press. Unfortunately you can't add shortcuts (e.g. to a particular gmail folder) to the quick apps panel (they just don't drag at all). Other than that, it seems pretty, and I may take another look in the future.

Not all launchers have to have thousands of features to be great. Maybe HomeUX isn't for you because its layout is a bit stiff (which i do mention), but that doesn't stop it from being excellent for other users (bugs aside).

steelew

Yeah its just not for me.

Rami

I like the idea of this launcher, but it is still buggy, it FC on me a few times when I wanted to move an app back to All Apps list, and not to mention that awful list of icons, SO BADLY DONE.....

I will give it another try after a couple of updates.

Adrianus Albert Jonathan Nadea

A bit too unstable for me on the Nexus 6. I like the concept and wouldn't mind trying it again in a more stable version.

Eirik C

Doesn't support landscape mode

gubagub

I wishlisted the app. It'd be great if they add a landscape/side by side mode.

5URV1V0R

The launcher is different in a good way. Needs some time to adapt to, but it is quite a good start.
Used it for few hours already, few FCs, but otherwise seems snappy.
Few remarks:
- For those who love the now launcher, you can use the floating quickapp as a trigger for Google now (on tap) and regular app search (long tap)
- Though I tried many times, I couldn't change the action panel background (to a photo) on any page. I could change it to a solid color, but when I try to pick a photo it just doesn't register :( Help really appreciated here, Rita, Isaiah, anybody!
- Bought the pro key to support this promising app. But seriously these notification badges need to be bigger (much bigger actually) and with a colored background (circle or square). Now they are practically unreadable.
- The All Apps folder should allow widgets and shortcuts similar to the other folders.
- Adding quick apps as well as choosing a folder (or quick app) icon is nerve breaking. Please attend to this quickly.

All said, I do advise you to give this launcher a try, let it settle for a day and it might grow on you, or not. It has some minor challenges but it is refreshingly different.

Hm, not sure why changing the background isn't registering. That's a bug I never encountered, not even in the earliest betas.

5URV1V0R

Thx for your reply. No worries, I made the panel fully transparent and used a different wallpaper to spice things up a bit in the absence of a photo.
Another bug I am facing is when I decided to remove the quick apps from the action panel, they keep coming back over and over again (more than 50 times)!!! This launcher has a soul of its own, it's possessed :)

BTW, I see that you have a nexus 5x, but did you try the nexus 6p? If yes, did you like it? I am bored with my note 4 and wondering whether to get the edge 6 plus or go pure android with the 6p.

diggie

Tried it, but too many bugs. Like you said, too many of those tiny icons are useless, and takes to long to find the icon you want. Uninstalled it (unfortunately).

Good news is that I really really like the way the launcher works and feels (I'm getting tired of app drawer). Without bugs, I would definitely use over stock launcher. Keeping it on my wishlist, and an eye on it.

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